Breath deflector



Oct. 12, 1943. c, E.. DAN|EL50N i .2,331`,539

BREATH DEFLEGTOR I Filed March 20, 1940 clff'qrd Daniei on Paremed od. 12, 1943 I oNrrsD STAT f Patent BREATH DEFLE'oToR.

;Clifford E. Danielson, Minneapolis, ;ll/film. y I Application March 20,1940,sriaifnaszmes r '5..-

z; a oiaims. (ci. 128-139) My invention relates .toimprovements in breath defiectors 'for do-ctors, dentists, barbers,` nurses, beauticians and'the like, an object of the invention beingrto provide a simple, durable, in'expensive and readily sterilized device of this kind adapted to prevent both the attendant and the attendecl from being subjected to the breath from' the nose and mouth of the other, and'adapted also to be quickly and easily applied to andremoved from the person of the user and? comfortably worn without substantially interfering with the vision or action of such person.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide a device of the present character comprising a guard or shield, and a mounting therefor adapted to be held in the mouth 'of the user and to support said guard in front 'ofthe face, shielding the user's nose and mouth.

A feature of the invention'resides in providing a guard or shield that is thin, light in weight and transparent, a further feature of the invention being to provide a mounting for the guard, having a yoke adapted to be received within the mouth and to embrace the arch of .the teeth, and.

also having a stem issuing from the crotch of.

the yokev and connected tdthe guardfiforv sup-; porting the same, said stem being adapted to be. received between the lips.

Another feature of the invention resides in making the yoke and stem of the mounting of bendable material so that they may be readily re-formed to provide for sutably adjusting the yoke to the interior of the mouth and to provide for adjusting the stem to the lips, and the stemsupported guard to the face 'of the user.

An object of the invention is to supply a mounting yoke of the instant nature having a relatively large outer surface area for contact with the interior surfaces of the cheeks and lips and a relatively large inner surface area for contact with the outer surfaces of the teeth, whereby the yoke is stabilized within the mouth, a feature of the invention residing in the provision of a yoke-like fin incorporatecl in the yoke structure for attaining such stabilizing effect and rendering the yoke comfortable to wear.

A further feature of the invention resides in providing .the mounting yoke With inwardly projecting fianges forming bits which lie between the upper and lower teeth and upon which the teeth may bite.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawing, Fig. l11 is a view 'illustrating .a deflector in einbodiment of the presentinvention as it appearsl in use, thezparts the'reofnoticon-L` cealed within the-mouth'cf the user, beingV shownv in side` elevation;A Fig. 2'Jis a plan view of said; deflector; Fig. 3 is a sectional'viewthereof taken as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is 'asec-f tional view ofsaid defiector taken as on the line '5-4 of said Fig. 2. w Reference being 'had Vto the. i'accompany'ingl` drawing, it will be observedthatthe embo'diment' of my' invention illustrateditherein comprises a guard orshield Ii) and amounting therefor desig-j nated in vits entiretyby the reference letter4 A Said' guard or shield ll) is of relativelyfstiff: Sheet-like material and is preferably transparent. It may be of any. suitable size and shape and may be cut or stamped from sheet-stock or cast or= molded in a form and maybe dished' rather than being planiform, to conform'mo're nearly'with the configuration of the face in'the interests of sightliness, and to render the action of the shield'. more effective in defiecting the br'ea-th from .the nose and mouth of the user wearin'g the defiector;

The mountingiA comprises a yoke-like element B and a supportingmember ll iissuing from'said element and connected to said guard I. The element B- includesa'yokegof ,bendable Wirev 42 and the supporting member ll consists; of a stem of bendable Wire, said stem being soldered, welded or otherwise suitably joined at one end thereof to said Wire yoke at the crotch thereof and being soldered or otherwise suitably attached at its other end to the guard Ill.

A relatively thin fin l3 of rubber or other suitable material is incorporated in the mountng element B. This fin is attached to wire yokeA |2 and preferably by molding the same thereover, employing said Wire yoke as a rib. Formed integrally with each branch of the yoke-like fin l3 and at the inner face thereof is a fiange |5 providing a bit.

a The mounting element B is adapted to be received within the mouth of the user, the fin l3 taking position embracing the arch of the teeth, with the fianges |5 located between the upper teeth and the lower teeth and with the outer surface of said fin |3 facing the inner surfaces of the cheeks and lips and the inner surface of said fin facing the outer surfaces of the teeth. Said mounting element B being thus disposed within the mouth of the user, the bits l5 are always positioned to be clamped between the upper and lower teeth, at the user's choice, should such course be desired under circumstances such, for

example, as that attended with quick movements of the user's head.

The supporting member or stem ll of the mounting A at the inner portion thereof adjacent to the wire yoke |2 lies between the lips of the user, the portion of said stem in continuation of said inner portion being bent first downwardly and then outwardly to suspend the guard IO from the elementI B and to provide reverse pre-bent portions Ile, llb wherefurther bending may be readily effected for adjustably locating the guard IO to best perform its intended function in use by the particular Wearer thereof.

From the standpoint of construction, my improved defiector is simple, durable and inexpensive. to the user, it being only necessary toslip the element B of the mounting into .the mouth. The

Said defiector is easily and quickly applied guard IO effectively shields the attended` from the breath fromV the nose and mouth of the attendant and also shields the mouthlandnosezof the attendant from the breath ofthe attendecL Under normal conditions the deflector is' com;-` fortably worn by theuseriwithoutothernthan normal muscular tension, but `on. occasion may be firmly clampecl in place by` thebite of :theuser` upon the fiange-like bits |5.Y The guard IO, .being transparent, does not .interfere With the user's vision. that may be seen when the device is in use, coupled. withV the transparency4 osaid guard', Ill;

lends sightliness tothe defiector. The element B comprising the mouth-piece, as well as. theremainder of the structure,` is readilycleansed and sterilized.

`Changes in the specific form ofmyinvention,`

as ,herein disclosecl,` may. be made within'the scope of what is claimed without departing :from the spirit of my invention.

Having described.myinventiomwhat I claim as new` and desire to protectby Letters-,Patent The limited structure of the defiector` yoke-like element for reception in its entirety within the wearer's mouth, said element being bendable into retained conformity throughout its length With the outside of the arch of the Wearer's teeth and adapted to be held in place relative to the teeth by the overlying portions of the face, a stem issuing from the crotch of said yokelike element and receivable between the wearer's lips centrally of the mouth, said stem being connected to the guard and being reversely curved vertically and bendablefor selective positioning of the stem relative to the meeting plane of the lips and for selective positioning of the guard relative to the mouth and nose of the wearer.

2. In a device of the character described, a guard adapted toibe worn before the face of a wearer to shield an attended person from the wearer's breath from mouth and nose and to shield the` mouth and nose of the Wearer from the breath of the attended person, a mounting for. :saidV guard including'a yoke-like element for reception intits entirety within the wearer's mouth. saidelement conformingthroughout its length with the outside of the arch of :the Wearerys teeth and adapted to becheldlinplace relative to the: teeth by theoverlying portions of the face,

anstem issuingr from the `crotch of said'yoire-like` element andzreceivable between the wearer's lips centrally of the mouth, said stem being connected to; the: guard. and? being, bendable for` selective positionng of the stem relative to the meeting plane of the'lips and lfor selective positioningof the -guard relative to the mouth and nose of the wearer.

3.1n a device of the character described, a guardadapted to be worn before the face of a wearer to shield 'an attended person, from the wearer's breath from mouth and nose and to shieldt'he mouth andlnoseofthe wearer from thebreath of the attended person, a mounting for:` saidv guard .including element adapted tov be received 'and 'heldzin 'place within the Wearer's mouth, .and-a member issuinglfrom ,said element and receivablebetweenthe wearerls lips, said member being connected to the .guarclsand adjustab'le for theselective positioni'ng of said `gllard relativeto the, month .and nose of the wearer.

CLIFFORD E. DANELSGN. 

